Graduates must be prepared to look for jobs outside of major cities

Jobseeking graduates should consider looking for work outside major cities and be prepared to be more flexible given the current climate, a major graduate employer has claimed.

Ernst & Young made the recommendation today as a study by the Association of Graduate Recruiters revealed the overall number of graduate vacancies in the UK will decline by 6.9% this year. This follows an 8.9% fall in jobs for university leavers last year.

The tax and advisory firm also announced plans to recruit more than 900 graduates and undergraduates to start work in 2011 – a 30% rise on the year before.

Stephen Isherwood, head of graduate recruitment in the UK for Ernst & Young, said there was no need for there to be a “lost generation” and added there are still vacancies out there.

He added that accounting firms, law firms and banks are among the organisations that are increasing their vacancy numbers for 2011 start dates.

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“Not all of the jobs available to graduates are located in the UK’s major cities. Graduates need to get on their bikes for work this year, look around for opportunities and be prepared to be flexible,” he advised.

“There are some fantastic opportunities to work for major global organisations like Ernst & Young, based in towns up and down the country such as Reading and Southampton, which provide the same career development opportunities as being based in a major UK city.”